With a 15-length blowout, Tito Santanna set a track record for aged pacing geldings at the Miami Fair on Saturday (Aug. 8).
Sent the 2-5 favourite, Tito Santanna took control with Great Quote settling into second, Next Thing Smoken third, Bling Kaching fourth and Procrastinatinpeat fifth. The field would remain in that order as Tito Santanna expanded his lead past a :58.4 half and three-quarters in 1:27.3 to stop the clock in 1:57.1. The time beats the previous mark of 1:57.2 set by Prairie Mystic in July 2019.
Trained by owner Trevor Williams, Tito Santanna won his third race from 11 starts this season and his 18th from 88 overall, earning $105,882. Don Howlett drove the $2.90 winner, one of five for him on the day.
Howlett steered his trainee Saskabush Steve to victory (one of three training wins on the day for Howlett) in the $2,450 Open Pace, winning by four lengths in 2:00.3. The four-year-old Lambretta gelding cleared command by a :29.3 first quarter and maintained control through middle fractions of 1:01.1 and 1:31.1 to win over Marvtherat and Heartlandbanysbro.
Owned by Wanda Howlett and Dwayne Taylor, Saskabush Steve won his second race from five starts this season and his 10th from 21 overall, earning $24,483. He paid $3.80 to win.
Howlett later steered his four-year-old American Ideal mare Somewhere Ideal to a 2:02 victory in the $2,350 Fillies & Mares Open Pace. Off the even-money favourite, Somewhere Ideal led unchallenged through fractions of :31.1, 1:02.3 and 1:32 to win by one-and-a-half lengths over Tami Blue closing for second. Yourlipstogodsears took third.
Winning her fourth race from nine starts this season and her ninth from 34 overall, Somewhere Ideal competes for Wanda Howlett and Dwayne Taylor. She’s earned $32,145 and paid $4.00 to win.
Howlett’s third training victory came in the following race with Hokie Dokie ($11.80). He then teamed with trainer Williams again in the next race to collect his fifth win on the afternoon, guiding Angel Hands ($2.10) to a wire-to-wire win.
Getitdonebud shot from off the pace to take the $2,000 Art & Betty Grundy Memorial Pace, breaking his maiden in 2:05.4.
Sitting 10 lengths off the lead by a :28.3 first quarter, trainer-driver Cory Manning launched the three-year-old Toucam Sam colt towards the front, gaining ground through a 1:00 half and 1:31.2 three-quarters before forging to the lead into the stretch. Getitdonebud strolled clear from there to best odds-on favourite Zippidy Zoom by one-and-a-half lengths with True Towner coming from last for third.
Co-owned by Cory Manning with Betty Manning, Getitdonebud won his first race from six starts, earning $2,664. He paid $6.10 to win.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Miami.